Meet the team

Revd Canon Richard Hibbert

VicarI come from Northwood (NW London) and began working life as a shipbroker in the City of London, at the bottom as office boy and then moved into the chartering department, being responsible for negotiating with ship owners on behalf of overseas clients.

In my late 20s, I felt God calling me to the ordained ministry, and after 2 years of saying no to God (how foolish is that?), I finally agreed. I trained at Trinity College, Bristol, and served my curacy at St. Mary's, Luton. I've been Vicar of Christ Church since July, 2000, Assistant Rural Dean of Bedford since 2005, Rural Dean since 2010. I served on General Synod for 10 years till 2015, when I stepped down to concentrate on the parish and deanery.

I'm married to Sarah and we have one lovely daughter, Emily, and a great cat, called Julian.

Anderson Wade - AJ

Youth Minister

I grew up in Leicester, but was I was born on the island of Montserrat which is in the Caribbean. I have also lived in a few different places like North Finchley, Clapham, Feltham and Sunbury-on-Thames. I have been involved in Church Ministry for many years and have served in different capacities in that time. My most recent position being the Assistant Youth Pastor at an AOG church in Leicester.

I have been blessed to go on two mission trips - one to Romania and the other Nairobi Kenya - where I got to see God do some amazing things in the lives of local people. I look forward to going on more mission trips in the future.

Becky Guynn

Families’ and Children’s Minister

The majority of my working life has been working with children but it was only fairly recently that I was able to combine my Christian faith and working life when I became the Children/Youth worker at St Andrew’s Church, Bedford. At that time my personal circumstances meant I could only work part-time so the job was perfect for me and I was very grateful to God for answering my prayer in such an amazing way. Five years later my circumstances had changed so I was able to move to full-time employment and once again God answered my prayer when I was blessed to be given the amazing opportunity to become Children’s Minister at Christ Church, Bedford.

I am married to Michael and we have four children, a large dog, two tortoises and lots of pond fish.

Pauline Grimley

Parish Administrator

Born in Henley on Thames, educated in Guildford, Surrey and Aberystwyth, I came to Bedford for work over twenty years ago. I taught History and other humanities subjects at Harlington Upper School from 1989 to 2011, when I decided to leave to do other things and to escape the increasingly frequent changes in education.

I joined the staff team as part-time office manager in spring 2013 and have come to understand what the job entails. As far as I can gather I am expected to know everything and everyone at Christ Church, but people are very understanding when I don’t know the answer or can’t give them what they want, immediately.

I am married to Vandon, who is often to be found up a ladder at church and the newest resident of our household is Harpurr (born June 2013) the one real feline in our cat and book filled home.

Kathryn Hughes

Vicar's PA

I’ve been living in Bedford since I was two years old and so it’s fair to say that I am (almost) Bedford born and bred! I studied Primary Education at University and later worked as a Family Worker for Action for Children. I currently work part time for a local Christian Charity called Friends for Life and I am now adding the role of Vicar’s PA into the mix!

I recently got married to Darren, who I met here at Christ Church. We both feel very lucky to be part of the wonderful Christ Church family and are looking forward to seeing what God has planned for us in this next chapter of our lives together.

Kay Berrington

Church Warden

Andrew Turpie

“And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their[…]

Life Magazine

John 1:14 So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

Please click on the image above to download the magazine

A word from Richard

Have you watched the John Lewis Christmas advert – it’s part of our national Christmas preparations. This year, just in case it’s passed you by, it stars Elton John. We’re taken back to his childhood and a present that changed his life. He runs downstairs on Christmas morning to unwrap his first piano. The advert ends with the words: